Video cameras have produced images whose objects can easily be recognized by a human. However, it is a much more difficult task to recognize these same objects using a computer and electronic interface to process the electronic signals from the video camera. As a result of this difficult task, only very poor recognition requiring very time-consuming processing has been achieved. Often, computerized vision tasks are accomplished using characteristics of the image unrelated to sight (as a human would consider sight). The task of determining object shapes and orientations has been done with limited success. Most applications require very closely controlled object orientation.
It is the intent of this invention to provide computer interpretation of object shapes, locations, and orientations at high speed. Object recognition is accomplished by comparing the outline perimeter of the object to a template (stored electronic representation of an expected object). The comparison is made by the computer to determine a match. It is also the intent of this invention to permit greater variation in object orientation.